Christianity and Monasticism in Upper Egypt: Volume 1: Akhmim and Sohag

Christianity and monasticism have flourished along the Nile Valley in the Sohag region of Upper Egypt from as early as the 4th century until the present day. Chapters examine various aspects of Coptic civilization in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Sohag over the past 1700 years. Many of the studies center on the person and legacy of the great Coptic saint, Shenoute the Archimandrite (348–466 CE), looking at his preserved writings, his life, his place in Pachomian monasticism, his relations with the patriarchs in Alexandria, and the life in his monastic system. Other studies deal with the art, architecture, and archaeology of the two great monasteries that he founded, and the archaeological and artistic heritage of the region.